Vermont National Guard soldiers on Sept. 11, 2021. File photo by Glenn Russell/VTDigger As new legal battles challenge President Donald Trump’s National Guard troop deployments in U.S. cities, Vermonters have been amping up efforts to express their public opposition. From handing out flyers at the Vermont National Guard headquarters in Colchester to meeting monthly to discuss local efforts, a small group of residents said they are finding growing interest and solidarity to the cause of fighting what they call fascism. On a recent Sunday afternoon, about 25 people showed up at the Fletcher Free Library in downtown Burlington to learn about a “Do Not Turn On Us” effort to connect with military personnel about their right to disobey illegal orders. READ MORE Rachel Siegel, one of the eight or so organizers, said the event sprouted from a national community effort involving a handful of people from different states earlier this year, including one from Vermont.  Before they knew it, they had set up a mailing list, organized emails and began to help coordinate groups across the county. “It was just a tremendous amount of stuff for a group of people that are not an organization and have no infrastructure. We had no staff. We didn’t have a comms person,” she said. Siegel said she also distributed flyers on Labor Day at the Air National Guard’s open house in Colchester, reminding the Guard of its duty to “protect and assist Vermont communities” during emergencies. That spurred enough public interest for the local activists to host monthly meetings to discuss different kinds of local actions, she said. A former city councilor in Burlington and former director of the Peace and Justice Center, Siegel has participated in many civil actions over the years opposing apartheid, F-35 fighter jets and policies of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. She and her daughter were among 13 protesters who were arrested in 2018 as they blocked traffic while opposing family separations outside the ICE facility in Williston. The flyering events outside the National Guard went very well this year, she said, with passing cars and members of the Guard willing to take flyers. Joseph Brooks, a spokesman for the Vermont National Guard, said in an email that the residents handing out flyers exercised their First Amendment right “in an organized and respectful way.” “We have had no incidents or altercations with anyone, and as result it fosters a productive dialogue. The fact that we can have such a dialogue is a testament to the strong relationship we have with the community and that our fellow Vermonters reflect back to us,” Brooks wrote. Colchester resident Sherri Wormser said she heard about the event and joined because she thinks Vermonters need to present an organized front to prevent illegal military deployments in America or abroad. “It’s still very important for all of us to speak up against the injustices that are occurring here and in bigger cities as well. But I’m also concerned that if it’s not stopped, that smaller and smaller towns are going to have the presence of the National Guard,” she said. She said they plan to meet over the weekend “for ongoing resistance and flyering.” Residents were dismayed last week when the Vermont Air National Guard was deployed to the Caribbean, reportedly in support of Trump’s military escalation against Venezuela.  Siegel said she found the deployment “abhorrent” and was concerned about young adults heading into a potentially violent situation during the holiday season. “I hope that they know their legal rights. We will continue to do what we can to connect with families and friends so that they can share our message to follow their oath and not obey illegal orders,” she said. Wormser said it is “horrifying” for young troops to have to risk their lives abroad for a mission not authorized by Congress. “We cannot forget the human aspect of all this. Our neighbors may be asked to kill somebody’s neighbors 2,000 miles away,” she said. While he wasn’t one of the original organizers, Gordon Clark of Burlington said he is glad to be part of the local activism effort. “We’re currently a small group of Vermont citizens who are shocked and appalled by what is going on in our country these days on many different fronts, but on one in particular: the use of our National Guard … being sent to other American cities and unconstitutional orders and whatnot. So we started an effort,” he said. He learned of the group by word of mouth and said he hopes more people learn about the opposition effort and join them.  “I would ask [Gov. Phil] Scott what he is doing about the deployment of the Vermont Air Guard to an apparent forward area of an unsanctioned war in the Caribbean,” he said. The activists’ latest effort — a petition — went live on Dec. 1. It calls on Scott to oppose the deployment of the Vermont National Guard to American cities, against American citizens, and in unauthorized military actions abroad. It has 123 signatures as of Wednesday with several comments from Vermont residents who have signed it. The organizers plan to send the petition to Scott when they have a substantial number of names, said Clark, who has also collected more than 60 signatures on a paper petition he is circulating. Siegel said the local group has not yet come up with a name, but keeping people engaged in small actions feels motivating “because we know that fascism is, in part, fueled by people giving up hope.” “If we, the people, can do a small thing. If they can create a petition. If they can sign a petition. If they can show up at an open house and hand out flyers. If they can make a flyer,” she said. “Any of these small things that keep people engaged and active will help people continue to do more things like that and help us resist and stop all authoritarianism.” Read the story on VTDigger here: Residents opposed to Trump’s National Guard deployments plan local actions. ...read more read less